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Thread: Prepper mistakes and lessons learned. What have you done to fix them?

  1. #11
    Claptrap's Problem Solver



    The Stig's Avatar
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    Welcome aboard Rumbleman!
    If you think that come SHTF you are gonna jock up in all your kit and be a death-dealing one man army, you're an idiot - izzyscout

  2. #12
    Walking on Sunshine

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    I also am a bit disorganized, shame on me. With being off for the next 6 weeks(knee surgery) I am hoping to get things organized better once I can stand on two legs without the crutches. I have running list of things and where they are in the brain case and the shelves are old to new in rows but I don't have it written out.
    DH says there's a method to my madness

  3. #13
    Do you have change for a canned bacon?

    AlphaTea's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Stig View Post
    Labels are a big key. Expiration dates, contents, special instructions, etc are all good.

    I'm a big fan of excel spreadsheets. Kinda dorky but you can use them to both keep track of what you have, total up what you have and keep stock fresh.

    You can also consider using a to-do list or calender on your computer/ipad/phone with pop up reminders triggered on a specific date. Clearly these won't be all that handy in the middle of a event but they can help you stay on track before any sort of SHTF event.

    Organization is key IMO. Not knowing where your preps are, or their state, is only slightly better than not having them at all.
    Dude, we must be brothers.
    Many moons ago, when excel first came out, yea THAT long ago, my first thought was what a great tool for organizing stuff.
    I first started with ammo. I had stuff scattered all over the place and never really knew what I had.
    Excel to the rescue. I made up a spreadsheet with separate tabs for each caliber, rifle magazine, pistol magazines, targets, accessories etc and a tab with ammo totals. I print out each tab on a separate sheet and keep them on a clip board.
    Most ammo and mags are in ammo cans. I have a GTFOD can, an EDC spares can, spare desiccant can, the home defense can and a Zombie defense can. When I buy or or use anything I mark up the sheets accordingly. Anything in my range bag does not count. Anything in my current EDC loadout does not count. I update the database every few weeks and keep a copy on my phone. Works very well.
    Wifey suggested doing the same with the preps. Good idea. It too works the same way only it is a single tab database and i dont have any expiration dates on it yet.
    If you IM me your email address I am willing to share a copy to any one that wants.
    Please note that the values on your evaluation copy may or may not represent anything I have in stock.
    They say that the cockroaches will be the last creature alive on this earth.
    I intend on being the last person alive still stomping cockroaches.

  4. #14
    Thunder Lizard Canning Club Chapter of the Old Farts Society


    Grumpy Old Man's Avatar
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    You just had to bring this up didn't you Lady? I am in a state of organized confusion. I'm lost in the dark, but making good progress after the move. My LTS is at least put away and organized. But other things are in disarray. I'll get it done in time but I do get frustrated easily. I need to remember it is a process; not an event!
    Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me Liberty or give me death." Patrick Henry, Virginia House of Burgesses, March 23, 1775

    Quo Vadis?

    Luke 22:36, And he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

    emergencyfoodssupplies.com

  5. #15
    Senior Member

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    I wasa searching through threads trying to find a thread like this - - HOW TO ORGANIZE FOOD STORAGE.

    The QUEST became real about 10 days ago when my wife needed a can of condensed milk. None in the pantry so she asked if I could take one from our storage, as she calls it. Now, I KNOW we had several so I go looking. After a few minutes I found it, but what was disturbing was finding my lack of organization and that some of my cans had "expired" a few years ago. Those have now moved up to first to be eaten in the regular pantry.

    I am still trying to figure out a best way for storage. I think it may be quite different for everyone based upon what your space limitations are. While I estimate we have enough food for about 4 months and water for about 6 weeks, it is scattered around the house due to space limitations. Some here, some there, etc. I am thinking that I may begin to store things in different areas based upon the "expiration" dates. That way we can rotate the older storage out into daily use and then store newer foods in that area.

    I don't know, just don't know.

  6. #16
    Senior Member
    Illini Warrior's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Socalman View Post
    I wasa searching through threads trying to find a thread like this - - HOW TO ORGANIZE FOOD STORAGE.

    The QUEST became real about 10 days ago when my wife needed a can of condensed milk. None in the pantry so she asked if I could take one from our storage, as she calls it. Now, I KNOW we had several so I go looking. After a few minutes I found it, but what was disturbing was finding my lack of organization and that some of my cans had "expired" a few years ago. Those have now moved up to first to be eaten in the regular pantry.

    I am still trying to figure out a best way for storage. I think it may be quite different for everyone based upon what your space limitations are. While I estimate we have enough food for about 4 months and water for about 6 weeks, it is scattered around the house due to space limitations. Some here, some there, etc. I am thinking that I may begin to store things in different areas based upon the "expiration" dates. That way we can rotate the older storage out into daily use and then store newer foods in that area.

    I don't know, just don't know.

    an EXCEL program for sure for keeping an inventory - there's all kinds of prepper programs for everything from ammo to food - some even have suggested food and the suggested amounts for the group number ....

    if you store cans individual vs a case lot you should look into a can organizer/dispenser rack - available to buy or DIY - best I've seen use the wall stud cavities for storage ....

  7. #17
    For the Love of Cats


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    I'm still battling this demon as well, my biggest problem is that the Mrs, takes at will and doesn't let me know until we are out of things.

    This quashed all attempts at lists/excel.

    What I have been moving towards is Primary and secondary locations.

    The kitchen/Pantry is the primary location, where I keep just enough of everything to 'usually' not run out.

    Closets/crawlspace/garage/etc are all secondary locations, that have certain items in each. When the pantry runs out, then I get from the secondary location to re-populate the pantry, and then restock the secondary if necessary.

    Seems to be working the best so far...
    Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day!
    Light a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

    Cat's are food... not friends!

    If you're going to fight, then fight like you're the third monkey on the ramp into Noah's arc... and brother, it's starting to rain.

  8. #18
    Senior Member
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    https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/f...nedfood-shelf/

    this article came up the other day but I couldn't re-find this posting - decent DIY build info on the can rotator ....


    here's an associated article .... https://urbansurvivalsite.com/signs-...-food-spoiled/

  9. #19
    For the Love of Cats


    Sniper-T's Avatar
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    yeah, that works for a dozen or so cans... but when you're rotating cans in the pantry and cases in storage, not so much.
    Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day!
    Light a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

    Cat's are food... not friends!

    If you're going to fight, then fight like you're the third monkey on the ramp into Noah's arc... and brother, it's starting to rain.

  10. #20
    looking at their tools while posting pictures of mine.
    Domeguy's Avatar
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    I guess I’m luckier than most because I have the space set up for extra food storage. But then I’m also a fat lazy old man with ADD issues who can’t remember to do shit that needs to be done...so I’m severely lacking on my food storage rotation. I’ve purposly let a lot of canned goods go low so when we restart the fill back, I can date properly and keep a good rotation going. I’m using a lot of canned chicken that expired 3-4 yrs ago. No rust, still looks and tastes good, but it still should be rotated better. I’m a bad, bad man.
    "Teach the children quietly
    For someday sons and daughters
    Will rise up and fight while we stood still"

    I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.

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